Once Upon A Time (Sonadow)
by SilenceOfSanctuary
Summary: This is the beginning...This is how it starts for Shadow. (Based closely on a Youtube comic video.)


_Once upon a time…_

"This is stupid." Shadow thought to himself, panting for breath, sweat running down the sides of his face. "There's no way…I'm going in that lake. I don't care what he says." Shadow lowered himself on to one knee, exhausted, wiping sweat from his face.

"Man…how did he even manage to get me to race with him?" Sonic thought, also tired and sweaty, standing five or six feet from Shadow. He wiped his forehead with the back of his glove. He looked past Shadow. "Wow!" He exclaimed.

A long narrow lake was to Sonic's right side. It stretched out farther than even he could see. Ten feet in front of him was a crooked tree. Its trunk curved at an angle close to the ground and then back up to form something like a seat over the water. Sonic ached for the water to cool him off. The leaves were bright green in the summer light and birds were singing softly amidst the branches.

"This is such a cool place!" Sonic squeaked, his body filled with excitement. Shadow turned around to look at the tree, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"I'll admit…it's pretty." He thought.

Shadow felt a rush of air beside him and looked down. Sonic's shoes laid before him. Sonic himself hopped slowly from rock to rock to get to the tree, pushing aside some long ivy hanging in his way, laughing.

"I'm sure I look as sweaty as Sonic right now." Shadow thought.

"Come on Shadow! It's so nice and cool! You'll feel better in no time!" Sonic had sat down on the part of the trunk closest to the water and was dipping his feet in and kicking, splashing playfully.

Shadow crossed his arms. "Serves him right if he gets germs and parasites from the untreated water. It doesn't affect me…but it doesn't make it any less disgusting." He thought.

Shadow moved from one foot to the other. They were sore and bothering him. "I thought you were afraid of the water?"

Sonic's eyes widened. His mind flashed back…he remembered the tightening in his chest as he sank, the water pressing in around him. Unable to float…unable to swim. _Help me…_he had called in his mind. Sonic shook his head and the memory faded but the shivering in his body had not.

"Pfft, I'm not as bad as that Shadow." Sonic smiled cockily to hide his fear, one hand holding tighter to the trunk of the crooked tree beneath him. "If you're that nervous…" Sonic extended a hand out towards Shadow. I'll even hold your hand." He smiled widely, barely restraining laughter at Shadow's shocked expression.

"You…" Shadow could almost feel the vein in the top of his head throb with annoyance. Sonic kept his hand extended towards Shadow, still smiling slightly.

"I feel like I shouldn't ruin this serene moment…" Shadow thought and then sighed and took off his shoes, setting them down besides Sonic's own on the sandy, pebbly shore of the lake. He hopped from rock to rock, letting Sonic hold open the ivy for him. He sat down on the trunk of the tree, his back to Sonic's back. "Ugh. Happy?"

Sonic turned slightly and smiled at Shadow. "Yes." Sonic turned his attention back to the little orange fish nibbling at his toes.

"This isn't really that bad. It feels…good." Shadow thought, shielding his eyes with his right hand, looking up past the leaves towards the sunlight that hit them like a small but dimmer spotlight. Sonic laughed softly, playing with the fish, teasing them with his toes.

Shadow's eyes widened. "Wha…?" He thought, his face instantly turning red. He glanced down at his left hand. Sonic's right hand was over his, pressing into it gently. Sonic didn't even seem to know, too happy and entertained with the fish in the water to even notice. Shadow gently took Sonic's pinky between two fingers, so if Sonic did notice he would think it was an accident.

_Once upon a time…_

_There were two hedgehogs playing in the water._

_One was fishing with his toes…_

_The other was daydreaming…_

"It feels really good…" Shadow thought…

_The End_


End file.
